What have you learned through your handbag addiction?

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#331
melvel said:
1. I've learned not to buy a cheaper version of the bag I really liked, as a place-holder until I am able to purchase that bag I really liked in the first place. Case in point: I was so obsessed with the Mulberry Alexa but had no means to purchase it (I live in a country where there is no Mulberry boutique and ordering online is a massive risk). So I bought a Cambridge Satchel in the meantime, because I really wanted that schoolgirl satchel look. I went to London last year and was finally able to buy my Alexa...now I never use the Cambridge satchel anymore! Sigh.

2. I 've earned that I can't carry white bags (or light colored bags). Ever. I'm too much of a carefree slob to take care of such bags :)
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In addition to what I've said above:

3. No faux leather bags for me. They just aren't durable. Leather or fabric bags only from now on.

4. I am attracted to bags with weird shapes (like Chloe Paraty, Celine Luggage, Givenchy Pandora).

5. Bag bans don't work for me. I just tend to buy a lot when the ban is over. When I don't impose bans, I spend much more wisely. This applies to clothes too.

6. I shouldn't consider resale value when deciding whether to buy a bag. I buy bags so that I can use them forever. If I've used them enough, the cost per wear would be so insubstantial that it doesn't matter if it doesn't have a high resale value when I decide to sell it in the future.
 
#332
What have I learned through my handbag/shoes/accessories addiction?

That when I die, hopefully decades from now, my relatives are going to have one huge estate sale! :nogood:
For shame!
(I'll try to leave everything organized and labeled.):p
 
#334
dooneybaby said:
What have I learned through my handbag/shoes/accessories addiction?

That when I die, hopefully decades from now, my relatives are going to have one huge estate sale! :nogood:
For shame!
(I'll try to leave everything organized and labeled.):p
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My hubby said he'll definitely do it. :) I only hope he won't sell my Chanel just for a dollar each like he told me.
 
#335
I care about quality of material very much. If the quality of the material used is not good, even though I like the bag so much, I just can't make up my mind to buy it. I feel like it's a waste of money. And I'll not wear it. I don't care if it's a fabric bag or anything. Just make it with good quality fabric.

I value my convenience and safety more than anything. I need to feel comfortable carrying the bag, sure that the bag will fit stuff of the day, and that it won't attract so much attention that somebody may want to rob me. I don't feel comfortable standing out in the crowd.
 
#337
after a crazy spate of buying and selling, four things that i must have in a bag stand out clearly:

1. lightweight - i tend to carry loads. have switched from leather to good quality nylon of late
2. durable - i hate to baby my bags and won't shelter them in case of rainfall, which is very frequent where i live
3. easy to get in and out of - zippers, compartments placed strategically for easy access
4. overly obvious logos - once had a prada tote and find myself covering the logo for reasons unknown. i prefer to let the bag's design and quality speak for itself.
 
#338
Very true biribiri! I agree with 1, 2 & 3!

After all this years, I noticed I tend to use lighter bags only. That's why lately I'm crazy about LV coated canvas. It addresses my concern on 1 & 2. Sometimes 3 too! Now I want to try Prada nylon bags.
 
#339
biribiri said:
after a crazy spate of buying and selling, four things that i must have in a bag stand out clearly:

1. lightweight - i tend to carry loads. have switched from leather to good quality nylon of late
2. durable - i hate to baby my bags and won't shelter them in case of rainfall, which is very frequent where i live
3. easy to get in and out of - zippers, compartments placed strategically for easy access
4. overly obvious logos - once had a prada tote and find myself covering the logo for reasons unknown. i prefer to let the bag's design and quality speak for itself.
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+1 on #4
I don't like even the little metal logos. I wish they would put them inside if they had to use them.
 
#340
From buying bags, SLGs, jewelry, and etc:

- I’ve learnt how to save up money for what I really want rather than spending it on miscellaneous things. Rather than buying a bunch of cheaper clothes or making random purchases, I put away money for any items I really want, be it a bag or a SLG or something else entirely.

- It’s better to buy what you really like rather than what is trendy or most exclusive or most well coveted. If it doesn’t speak to you, don’t buy it.

- To rotate. I try to keep everything I have in good use.

- You can never have too many black bags.

- But it’s nice to get out of your all black comfort zone sometimes. I bought a colorful wallet over a black one for the first time and have no regrets at all. Actually I think it matches my black wardrobe nicely.

- Not every bag I like will be a good fit for my life.

- Sometimes you are surprised with what you want. Trying on HG bags in person might be a disappointment sometimes. You might find you love something you never considered upon seeing it in the store too.
 
#342
Jesssh said:
I don't think I'm addicted. Obsessed may be a better word. :p The obsession wanes after a while.

I've learned that once I have a bag wardrobe that fills nearly every niche of my lifestyle, I can stop buying. The bags on the market become less of a "need". It's kind of a relief to have everything you need, and shop from your own closet because you like the bags you have better than anything you see on the market. It helps to have pics of your bags on your phone or tablet.

I've learned how to put a bag wardrobe together that has multiple colors, minimal duplication, and is versatile when paired with clothing and occasions. I've learned to be picky when it comes to style, hardware, quality, suitability for my lifestyle, colors I would wear, textures I would wear, brands I would wear, size, etc.

I still like to look and see what's trending. Chances are whatever is trending that I like, I can find something in my closet that fills the niche.

Buying purses well requires an education. You have to keep up with the market to stay current. So I will continue to look at bags, then observe what I already have to make sure it can still be styled as current. Context is everything.
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This is such a great post! I feel that I am in this same process as well. I don't see the need to buy latest bags in the latest color. I already have enough bags (not including clutches) that satisfies all aspects of my current lifestyle. I think that because I am older (in my 40's), I want to simplify my life and stick with what works for me. I still like to look at pretty things but I won't obsess over it.
 
#343
That as much as I like premier designer brands, it's more practical for me to buy the contemporary brands that I like as I don't feel comfortable with people judging me at work and I tend to not use too much the premier ones as I'm scared of them getting scuffed, etc. not unless its the durable canvas. I use the premier ones for nicer occasions and I use my contemporary ones as workhorse
 
#344
melvel said:
1. I've learned not to buy a cheaper version of the bag I really liked, as a place-holder until I am able to purchase that bag I really liked in the first place. Case in point: I was so obsessed with the Mulberry Alexa but had no means to purchase it (I live in a country where there is no Mulberry boutique and ordering online is a massive risk). So I bought a Cambridge Satchel in the meantime, because I really wanted that schoolgirl satchel look. I went to London last year and was finally able to buy my Alexa...now I never use the Cambridge satchel anymore! Sigh.
Click to expand...

Don't give up on the Cambridge satchel! I have one myself, and I recently realized that it's a great bag for traveling/sightseeing. It's just big enough to fit a guidebook (if that's your thing), hand sanitizer/wipes, a small wallet, and other necessities, but small enough that it doesn't get in the way and you'd have both hands free. Even better, it's virtually pickpocket-proof with the two buckles out in front, and the hard leather means that petty thieves won't be able to knife your bag either.
 
#345
1. To be completely blunt, I'm a bit of a label snob when it comes to my handbags. That makes my purse obsession potentially a rather expensive one.
2. That said, I'm now perfectly happy with a capsule collection of ultimately 10 bags (including clutches) in my life instead of many more. Quality over quantity!
3. I'm much happier using my "classic" pieces now than when I was trying to use trendier pieces. I don't regret the buckled satchel phase a while back (but I wouldn't really buy a satchel now), but I'm happy I didn't join in the robot face trend.
4. I'm only comfortable buying one new purse a year. I always pay off my credit cards each month, but I need to make sure I can max out my 401(k) and my Roth IRA for the year and maintain a comfortable savings cushion before I even think about buying something new.
5. I only like brightly colored or neon SLGs (except my agenda, which is in a classic black) so I can easily find them in purses.
6. It's not an issue now since I don't buy things off my list of 10, but I really didn't like making impulse purchases. It's stressful and can lead to buyer's remorse. I usually had my SAs send pictures ahead of time (and potentially save a visit in) and do my research (What's the leather grain? How weatherproof is this? Do I already have another bag of a similar color or size? If a LE colorway of this purse came along, would I want that or this?) before buying.
7. Only silver/palladium/etc hardware from now on! Only 2 of my purses have gold hardware, and those also happen to be the first two purses I bought. While I don't regret getting them (they're classic styles and I still use them), I'd like them even better with in silver.
 
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